COMBAT OUTPOST KHENJAKAK, Afghanistan — Following a four-day operation May 1 to 4, soldiers of C “Chaos” Company, 1st Battalion, 38th Infantry Regiment, Combined Task Force 4-2, and Weapons Company, 6th Kandak, 205th Afghan National Army completed their final company-sized operation of the unit’s nine-month deployment.

FORWARD OPERATING BASE SPIN BOLDAK, Afghanistan – Soldiers with Combined Task Force 2-23 (2nd Battalion, 23rd Infantry Regiment) contended in the Top Tomahawk competition that began March 29 at FOB Spin Boldak.

KANDAHAR AIRFIELD, Afghanistan – Ten contestants from throughout Regional Command – South tested their physical limits through a fitness challenge in the 4th Brigade, 2nd Infantry Division’s Dragoon Games in Kandahar, Afghanistan, March 24.

FORWARD OPERATING BASE MASUM GHAR, Afghanistan — When Staff Sgt. Luis Santos found out he made the sergeant first class list in March 2012, he jokingly bet his wife he would get promoted during his unit’s deployment to Afghanistan and she would miss his fourth promotion in a row.

BAGRAM AIR FIELD, Afghanistan — The 555th Engineer Brigade completed its transfer of authority ceremony with the 411th Eng. Bde. here at Bagram Air Field, Feb. 3, officially assuming command of the Theater Joint Engineer Brigade in Afghanistan.

KANDAHAR, Afghanistan — The Combined Team Ready First assumed battle space responsibility from 2nd Brigade, 2nd Infantry Division “Lancers,” from Joint Base Lewis-McChord, Jan. 7. The ceremony was held at Camp Nathan Smith, Afghanistan, and hosted multiple Afghan dignitaries as well as Maj. Gen. Robert “Abe” Abrams, Regional Command-South commander.

FORWARD OPERATING BASE MASUM GHAR, Afghanistan – Two UH-60 Black Hawk helicopters landed on a small FOB in Southern Afghanistan, kicking up dust and causing a buzz from those on the ground.

FORWARD OPERATING BASE MASUM GHAR, Afghanistan – Specialist Brendon Brown stepped off his Stryker at Combat Outpost Talukan Dec. 26, looking for a familiar face.

KANDAHAR, Afghanistan — Special guest, Maj. Gen. Robert B. Abrams, shared a personal dinner with Haji Tor Jan New Year’s Eve. The farewell dinner was in honor of the outgoing commander of 8th Squadron, 1st Cavalry Regiment, 2nd Brigade, 2nd Infantry Division, Lt. Col. Patrick Michaelis.

KANDAHAR, Afghanistan — A provincial security meeting was held inside the governor’s palace Jan. 2, to bid farewell to the 2nd Brigade, 2nd Infantry Division.

FORWARD OPERATING BASE ZANGABAD, Afghanistan – When Pfc. Matthew Jones first met Pfc. Markie Sims in basic combat training at Fort Leonard Wood, Mo., it was laughter from the start.

FORWARD OPERATING BASE SPIN BOLDAK, Afghanistan — As organizations and advocates across the world gathered and hosted events to recognize the official 16 Days of Activism Against Gender Violence Campaign, women in the rural district of Spin Boldak learned of the movement during a rare women’s gathering at the Spin Boldak District Center in Kandahar Province, Dec. 7.

KANDAHAR, Afghanistan— Proficiency in combat medicine can often mean the difference between life and death on the battlefield, which is why Soldiers with C Company, 1st Battalion, 17th Infantry Regiment, 2nd Brigade, 2nd Infantry Division came together with their Afghan National Army partners with the 3rd Brigade, 205th Corps to conduct medical training at Strong Point Syran, Afghanistan, Oct. 23.

FORWARD OPERATING BASE PASAB, Afghanistan — Soldiers with A Company, 2nd Battalion, 1st Infantry Regiment, 2nd Brigade, 2nd Infantry Division, along with their Afghan National Army partners with the 4th Koy, or company, 3rd Kandak, 3rd Brigade, 205th Corps, cleared an area known for its strong Taliban presence in the Zharay District of Kandahar Province, Afghanistan, recently.

FORWARD OPERATING BASE MASUM GHAR, Afghanistan – While the number of U.S. casualties in 2012 has decreased dramatically, even one death of a friend or comrade can be traumatic to a Soldier. That is why unit ministry teams are so important to the Soldiers on the ground.

FORWARD OPERATING BASE PASAB, Afghanistan — Soldiers with A Company, 2nd Battalion, 1st Infantry Regiment, 2nd Brigade, 2nd Infantry Division, along with their Afghan National Army partners with the 4th Koy, or company, 3rd Kandak, 3rd Brigade, 205th Corps, cleared an area known for its strong Taliban presence in the Zharay District of Kandahar Province, Afghanistan, Oct. 15 and 16.

COMBAT OUTPOST SANJERAY, Afghanistan — Soldiers with 3rd Platoon, A Company, 2nd Battalion, 1st Infantry Regiment, 2nd Brigade, 2nd Infantry Division participated in a partnered operation to assist their Afghan National Army counterparts in maintaining security gains made in Zharay District of Kandahar Province, Oct. 10.

FORWARD OPERATING BASE PASAB, Afghanistan — The Afghan Local Police of Magat, Afghanistan conducted their first partnered patrol with their U.S. counterparts from 2nd Platoon, Bravo Company, 4th Battalion, 23rd Infantry Regiment, 2nd Brigade, 2nd Infantry Division inside the city they call home Oct. 5.

ARGHANDAB DISTRICT, Afghanistan — A Soldier from 2nd Brigade, 2nd Infantry Division took part in a historic ribbon-cutting ceremony Sept. 5 that marked the completion of a police checkpoint in Pirpaymal near District Police Center-Arghandab in Arghandab District of Kandahar Province.